Evaluating the effect of a herb on the control of blood glucose and insulin-resistance in patients with advanced type 2 diabetes (a double-blind clinical trial)

Background: Different benefits of various herbal medicines in decreasing blood sugar have been reported in different clinical trials so far. Considering the growing tendency toward these combinations and the booming market, inappropriate advice is growing accordingly. Hence, it is necessary to evaluate the effects and possible complications of such combinations on health status and blood glucose control. Methods: Two 38-subject groups were formed and a 12-week treatment program was administered for both groups. The inclusion criteria were failure to control blood glucose with two oral medicines, unwillingness to inject insulin. The medicine was prepared in capsules by Booali Company. Each capsule weighed 750 mg and contained nettle leaf 20 (w/w), berry leaf 10 (w/w), onion and garlic 20 (w/w), fenugreek seed 20 (w/w), walnut leaf 20 (w/w), and cinnamon bark 10 (w/w) all in powder. Results: At the beginning of the study, there was no significant difference between the subjects regarding the evaluated parameters, but after the intervention, the level of glucose was significantly lower in fasting (P=0.0001) and 2-hour postprandial(P=0.002) levels. The level of glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (P=0.0001) also decreased from 0.33±9.72 to 0.20±8.39 . Finally, the level of insulin resistance reduced from 1.9±4.1 to 1.4±2.6 (P=0.001) after consuming herbal medicine. Conclusion: According to the results of the current study, the herbal combination was effective in controlling blood sugar, and considering the reduction of HbA1c by 1.31 , it seems that the herbal combination is an effective medicine to treat diabetes. &#160

Levofloxacin-containing triple therapy versus bismuth-based quadruple therapy as regimens for second line anti- Helicobacter pylori

Background: Although the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection decreased following the hygiene promotion and application of proper anti- H.pylori treatments, unfortunately gradual increase is reported in treatment failure; hence, application of a proper treatment regimen as a second-line therapy is of great importance. Methods: In the current randomized, clinical trial, a total of 120 patients with peptic ulcers who failed to respond to treatment were enrolled. In the OLA group, a regimen of omeprazole 40 mg/day, levofloxacin 1 g/day, and amoxicillin 2 g/ day was prescribed; however, a regimen of omeprazole 40 mg/day, bismuth sub-citrate 480 mg/day, furazolidone 400 mg/day, and amoxicillin 2 g/day was administered to the OFAB group. Both groups were treated for 2 weeks, and 6 weeks after the treatment, the urea breath test (UBT) was performed in the subjects. Collected data were analyzed with SPSS Version 18. At the end, 58 patients in group OLA and 57 patients in the OFAB group were analyzed. Results: According to the results of the current study, 96.7 of the subjects in the OLA and 95 in the OFAB groups completed the treatment course and the eradication rates were 86.7 and 78.3 in the OLA and OFAB groups, respectively (P=0.23). Treatment side effects were observed in 51.7 and 11.7 of the subjects in the OLA and OFAB groups, respectively (P<0.01). Conclusion: Both regimens were applicable as the second-line therapy due to insignificant difference between the results of the 2 groups; however, OLA regimen was superior to OFAB, due to lower side effects. &#160